St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-01-15
Cluverius, the Supposed Murderer of His
Cousin, Pays the Penalty on
the Gallows.
he Asserts His Innocence to the Last,
and Meets His Fate With
Oalmness.
Four Persons Hanged at Fort Smith.
Ark. for Various Atrocfous
Grimes.
A Sensational Poisoning Case at Chi
cago--Other Criminal
Matters.

Ill tue county jail to-day. AS early as y
a. N. people began to gather in the vicinity,
and by noon every approach to the Jail was
packed with human beings. The house
tops and hiilsdes near the Jail, from VIII oh
sight into the jail yard could be had,
were also crowded Admission to the Jail
was only had through tickets issued by
City Sergeant Smith, who, through chary
in giving them out, admitted over 200 per-
sons The prisoner passed a sleepless
night, most Of the time being spent with
Mr.. Crump, one of his counsel, who has
done everything to save or extend his life
and who remained with him till 2 a. m,
and from that hour until 6 o'clock lie was
engaged Ill prayer, and at intervals in
singing hymns. From o'clock until he
SLEPT soUNDLY
and then arose and ate a breakfast of ten
derlon beefSteak, mushrooms and egg
omelet- During the morning there was
much speculation as to whether the gov
emor would extend the respite. and that
question was not finally settled until some
time after noon, when Mr. Crump, who
had been to see the governor, returned to
the jail and announced that the executive
power would not be interpoSed. Rev. Dr.
William F. Hatcher came to the jail about
II o'clock and remained with the prisoner
ton and praying with the prisoner. At
noon suit of new black clothes was
brought 10 the Jail and the pris oner donned
them At TWO minutes to l the death pro-
ceSS'On was formed, consist ng of Sergt.
Smith, two deputies, Rev. DR.. Hatcher
and the prisoner. the latter having his hands
tied in front and his body. from neck to
ankles, enveoped in an old fashioned Iady's
Waterproof cloak. From the cell the
march progressed along the corridor and
down two flights Of stairs to the lower court
OF the jail and then into the yard fronting
the cells of the white prisoners, forty po-
licemen being on duty to keep back the
crowd. The prisoner although thin and
pale, ...........
MOVED WITH STEADY STEPS
to the scaffold, which he assembled in the
same quiet manner, and stood en- the trap
Sergt. Smith then read the death warrant.
or copy Of the judgment of the court which
the prisoner listened to with bowed head
and apparent close attention. When the
sergeant had concluded he asked
the doomed man if he had
anything to say. and Ciuyerius.
replied: no sir, nothing at all his voice
being scarcely audible Dr.. Hatcher then
knelt and offered fervent prayer, and
when he had finished he turned to the pris-
oner. who said few words in a low tone,
and DR.. Hatcher. turning to the crowd in
the yard, said:
am requested by the prisoner to utter one
word for him and that is that in TINS moment
Of death he carries to thergrave no feeling Of
i'll will toward any man earth.
DR.. Hatcher then left the scaffold Rails
ing both hands as he went out, he said the
prisoner had asserted his innocence to the
last, just before leaving the cell. When
Dr. Hatcher had gone, Deputy Sergt.
AAen
TIED THE PRISONERS KNEES
tightly together, put the rope around his
neck and adjusted the black cap and hood.
Everything being ready, Sergt. Smith gave
the signal, and at los o'clock the trap was
sprung. There was a sudden swish, fol-
lowed by the clang of the falling trap door,
and the next instant the body of Ciuverius
was at the end of the rope over ten feet be-
low where he had been standing. The rope,
which was made of parti-colored silk.
stretched over foot. and the toes of
the hanged man nearly touched the
brick 1pavement beneath. A minute of
quiet and then there was considerable
struggling, lasting several minutes, together
with heavy StentOriOuS breathing indica-
ton that death was being produced by
strangulatiOn. After sixteen minutes the
physicians pronounced the man dead and
twenty minutes after the trap was sprung
the corpse was taken down and placed i'll
plain wooden coffin and turned over to the
undertakes to be prepared for burial at
his former home in King and Queen county.
DURING THE FORENOON
Capt Frank w. Cunningham, Richmond's
sweetest tenor singer, who has before Wis
tied the prisoner OH several occasions and
sung numerous hymns in his cell, called to
see Cluyerus and was greeted pleasantly
by him. At his request Capt. Cunning
ham sung the hymn, How Firm Foun-
datiOn. Ge Saints of the Lord" When he
had finished Capt. Cunningham turned to
CluyeriuS and asked: DO you still say
that you are innocent?" 10 which the pris-
Oner replied, Il am Innocent
And" said Capt. Cunningham, ''do
you believe in our Lord and Saviour,
Jesus Christ, and believing in Him, you as
sert that you are innocent, knowing that
yOu have got to answer before Godo"
Again Cluverius said Il say that l am
innocent"
When Sergt Smith entered the con-
demned mans cell at five minutes to and
announced that the time was up Cluver1s
showed no signs of emotion, but simply re-
marked Il am ready to 90 with YOU" 1t
was an
AWFUL AND SOLEMN MOMENT
when Cluverius walked from the cell where
he had so long been confined to the scat
fold where he was to pay the penalty for
his crime, and the nerve which sus-
tanned him through the trial Sis
tanned him to the very last
and unfalteringly he walked to his
room. AS he was passing down the steps
on the way to the Scatfold the vast crowd
outside the Jail caught sight of him. and
shout went up from Il thousand throats
"Yonder he is, yonder he is" The pris-
oner never raised his eyes, but kept them
cast down, as though III deep thought. and
for the first time, perhaps, he fully realized
that he was going 10 die. AS he wendell
his way to the Scatfold down the long iail
yard the eyes of over 200 persons were di-
rected to him. He never looked to the
right or to the left, but walked along with
out the least sign of weakening. None of
Cluvelius' relatives were with him today.
His brother, who had been so devoted to
him since his arrest twenty-five months
ago, parted with him yesterday His father
and mother owing to feeble health. did not
come to the city to bid farewell to the
doomed man.
HISTORY OF TIE CRIME.
The Characterization case excited the
greatest interest not only in Virginia, but
throughout the country. The accused was
collateral descendent of President Tyler
lawyer of good repute in King and Queens
county, and superintendent of q Sunday
school. HIS victim, Miss Madison, was also a
collateral descendent of apresident-TylerO On
the 18th day OF March, 1886, her body was
found in the city reservoir. Investigation
showed that She had arrived in the city early
Oh the morning of the previous day and reg
istered at the American hotel as Miss +. L.
Merton. Cluverius arrived in Richmond on
The same day and registered at the Davis
in